Many of the traditions Americans think of as “Christmas” were born, or popularized, in New York. Here’s a short history to enrich your visit.
Saint Nicholas and Dutch New Amsterdam
New York’s Dutch roots made Saint Nicholas (Sinterklaas) a local figure, and 19th-century New Yorkers, including writer Washington Irving, revived him as a symbol of the city’s heritage.
“A Visit from St. Nicholas” (1823)
The poem better known as “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas,” attributed to Clement Clarke Moore, who lived in what is now Chelsea, gave Santa his sleigh, his eight reindeer and his chimney entrance.
Thomas Nast’s Santa
From the 1860s, cartoonist Thomas Nast’s illustrations in New York’s Harper’s Weekly shaped the jolly, bearded, fur-trimmed Santa we recognize today, including his North Pole workshop.
The First Electric Christmas Lights (1882)
Edward H. Johnson, an associate of Thomas Edison, lit a tree with red, white and blue electric bulbs at his Manhattan home in 1882, an early landmark in electric Christmas lights.
“Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus” (1897)
The New York Sun’s editorial reply to eight-year-old Virginia O’Hanlon of the Upper West Side became one of the most reprinted newspaper editorials in history.
Department Store Christmas
New York merchants such as Macy’s helped turn Christmas into a shopping season, with elaborate window displays and in-store Santas. The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade began in 1924.
The Rockefeller Center Tree (1931)
Construction workers put up a small tree at the Rockefeller Center site in 1931 during the Depression; the first official tree lighting followed in 1933. See the tree today.
The Rockettes (1933)
The Radio City Christmas Spectacular has been a New York tradition since 1933, the year after Radio City Music Hall opened.
The Nutcracker (1954)
George Balanchine’s production for New York City Ballet premiered in 1954 and helped make the Nutcracker a national holiday tradition (see it today).
Frequently Asked Questions
When did the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree start?
Workers put up the first tree in 1931, and the first official lighting was in 1933.
Who created the modern image of Santa Claus?
Clement Clarke Moore’s 1823 poem and Thomas Nast’s illustrations in Harper’s Weekly, both from New York, shaped the modern Santa.
